In a large bowl or pitcher, combine fruit, ginger, basil or mint, and orange liqueur. Mash gently with the back of a wooden spoon until basil is bruised and fruit releases juices. Add wine and lemon juice and stir to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day). To serve, fill glasses with ice and top with sangria. Serves 8.

— MarthaStewart.com

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LUSCIOUS SLUSH PUNCH

2 1/2 cups white sugar

6 cups water

2 3-ounce packages strawberry flavored gelatin mix

1 46-ounce can pineapple juice

2⁄3 cup lemon juice

1 quart orange juice

2 2-liter bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage

Bring the sugar, water, and strawberry flavored gelatin to a boil in a large saucepan; boil for 3 minutes. Stir in the pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. Divide mixture into 2 separate containers and freeze.

Combine the contents of 1 container with 1 bottle of the lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage in a punch bowl; stir until slushy. Repeat with remaining portions as needed.

Makes about 2 punch bowls full.

— Allrecipes.com, recipe by Valerie Lynne

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CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

1 1⁄3 cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

1/2 cup triple sec

1/2 cup cognac

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

2 bottles chilled dry Champagne or sparkling wine

Orange or lemon slices

Fresh strawberries, optional

Combine the lemon juice, sugar, orange liqueur, triple sec, cognac and orange juice in a non-reactive bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the Champagne and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Pour into a decorative bowl or pitcher. Garnish with orange or lemon slices and fresh strawberries, if desired. Serve in Champagne flutes, wine glasses or punch cups. Yield: about 3 quarts (12-16 servings).

Pour into ice-filled wine goblets. Top each with 1/2 cup of each soda. Garnish with peel. Makes 4 servings.

— WomansDay.com

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APPLE AND MINT PUNCH

2 cups water

4 green tea bags

11/2 cups apple juice (100 percent juice)

1 cup mint simple syrup (recipe follows)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon

1 cup sparkling water, chilled

Ice

Mint simple syrup:

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 packed cup fresh mint leaves

Mint simple syrup: Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the mint leaves. Allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.

Punch: In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for 6 minutes. Remove the tea bags and cool the tea to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Pour the cooled tea into a large pitcher. Add the apple juice, mint simple syrup and lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, add the sparkling water and pour the punch into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired. Yield: 51/2 cups.

— Food Network, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, from ‘Giada at Home’

That fruity, frothy, sometimes fizzy concoction — a staple of baby and bridal showers and receptions of all sorts — isn’t necessarily the drink of choice for such events these days. For one local caterer, in fact, punch is past tense.

“I haven’t done punch in years,” said Donna Hart of All Seasons Catering. “It’s kind of a passe thing. Most weddings steer away from it because (many facilities) won’t allow it. They don’t want it staining the carpet.”

Hart said her company occasionally is asked to provide lemonade for events, though “that’s more of a summer type thing.”

How did we become a punch-loving people in the first place?

According to ”An A to Z of Food and Drink” by John Ayto (Oxford University Press, 2002), punch was a traditional drink in India several centuries ago. The origin of the name is disputed. Some accounts say it came from the Hindi word panch, which means five, because there were five ingredients in the drink: water, spices, sugar, lemon or lime juice, and spirits (usually rum).

Another theory is that punch is short for puncheon — a large cask from which the drink could have been served.

Regardless, the drink gained enormous popularity when it was brought to England.

“The classic simplicity of the original type did not survive long; and (sic) assortment of variations was soon dreamed up, including punch made with tea, with milk (this enjoyed a wave of popularity in the early 18th century), and without any alcohol,” Ayto wrote. Beaten egg whites became a common addition.

Eventually, Ayto said, any festive drink served from a bowl — “with or without bits of fruit swimming in it” — was labeled punch.

Maybe punch isn’t the go-to party drink anymore, but summer is imminent and if any season calls for fruity, frothy and fizzy, it’s this one. Even if it won’t be found at some big events, there’s no reason it can’t be a tasty part of cookouts and home parties. We’ve got punches for all and punches made with the grown-ups in mind.